How to Sign a PDF on Your Phone Without Printing It

Someone sends you a PDF and says "please sign and send it back." The old way meant printing it, signing with a pen, then scanning or photographing it. That takes time, paper and a working printer. There is a much faster way, and you can do it on your phone.

What you need

A PDF and a few minutes. You do not need to create an account or install an app.

How to sign a PDF in five steps

1. Open the Edit PDF tool and choose your file. Use the arrows to find the page that needs your signature.

2. Press "+ Signature". A drawing box opens. Sign with your finger on a phone, or with your mouse or a trackpad on a computer. If you do not like it, press "Clear" and try again.

3. Press "Add to page". Your signature appears on the page. Drag it onto the signature line and use the size slider to make it fit.

4. Add the date. Press "+ Today's date" and drag it into place. You can also press "+ Text" to type a name, an address or anything else the form needs.

5. Press "Create edited PDF" and download the signed file.

Prefer a photo of your real signature

Sign on white paper with a dark pen, take a clear photo, and choose "Or use a picture of your signature". The white background is removed so only the ink is left. This gives a more natural result than drawing with a finger.

Other things you can add

The same tool can add a watermark such as "COPY" or "DRAFT" across every page, and page numbers in the corner of each page. This is handy for documents you share for review.

Is a signature like this accepted

It is a picture of your handwriting. Plenty of forms, letters and everyday agreements accept it. Some organisations, such as courts or certain contracts, may need a certified digital signature or an ink signature. If you are not sure, ask whoever sent the document what they will accept.

Can I change the words already in the PDF

No. This tool adds to a PDF. It cannot rewrite the original text. If you need to change a page, ask for the original file.

Keep your documents private

Contracts and ID documents are sensitive. This tool works inside your browser, so your PDF and your signature never leave your device.

If the signed file is too big to send, shrink it with the Compress PDF tool. If you need to join it with other papers, use the Merge PDF tool. The full list of free tools is on the tools page.